Tutorial: The Man Bun + Half-Updo for the Holidays

Curly dudes need some updo love too.

how to create the man bun tutorial

Time

The man bun has quickly come to our aid time and again, particularly during weird winter weather. It’s a failsafe that keeps you looking polished yet still somewhat swaggy—two crucial factors in what makes a hairstyle a new classic.

For our latest holiday hairstyle installments, we show how to style the man bun with a half-updo coil (Don’t worry, it’s simpler than it sounds.). This is an especially easy-to-recreate ’do on guys with curly or wavy hair, as your texture provides more traction for the look. At any rate, the man bun is still a universally flattering hairstyle, so feel free to work this foolproof tweak, regardless of your hair type, the next time you need to show good face at a Christmas get-together. We show you how:

Tutorial: The Man Bun + Half-Updo

1

Start with clean, freshly washed hair.

Remove buildup and grease by washing hair before you style. Curlier hair types are usually dry and prone to frizz; a hydrating shampoo and conditioner, like AXE Max Hydrate 2-in-1 Shampoo + Conditioner, moisturizes to help prevent the pouf. Rinse well and gently rough-dry with a towel and a blowdryer on low.

how to create the man bun on clean hair
2

Apply a styling cream.

A styling cream helps give hair a light hold—that’s usually all the control you’ll need for this look. We like the natural finish and control we get from a finger-swipe amount of AXE Natural Look: Understated Cream.

how to create the man bun: apply a styling cream
3

Create a half-ponytail.

Gather the top half of your hair into a ponytail. Use a fine-toothed comb to smooth down the sides and base if needed; otherwise, a bit of a bumpy texture can add some personality to the man bun. Secure with a few loops of a neutral-colored hair tie.

how to create the man bun: half ponytail
4

Create a rope-twist.

Twist your ponytail till it tightens up and resembles one solid strip of rope.

how to create the man bun rope twist
5

Coil and secure.

Circle your ponytail around its own base, as if you were making a cinnamon bun. Secure with a hair tie around the entire bun (two to three loops will do the trick), or if your hair can handle it, a couple of pins tucked underneath.

how to create the man bun secure with pins
6

Done!

Smoothen the base with any leftover cream on your hands, and you’re all set!

how to create the man bun

Want more help with your curly hair? Check out more ways to style your curly strands.

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